On a Tuesday morning in January 1993, Vivian King called 911. She hadn’t seen her 17-year-old daughter, Shilie Turner, since Sunday night. Shilie had left their home in Westfield, Pennsylvania, saying she was going to a dance with a friend. But when she didn’t return and even missed her track meet the next day, Vivian grew seriously worried.
Journalist Yvonne Latty later said on Philly Homicide, “It was a really big deal. She was not only the star of the team, she was always there. She would never, ever not have shown up.”
Who Was Shilie Turner?
Shilie lived with her mother Vivian, stepfather Clarence Jones, and two younger sisters. Friends described her as a talented athlete, an Olympic hopeful, and a natural leader.
Her friend Quanda Gary said that Shilie’s relationship with her mother was typical, though Vivian worked long hours. Shilie often took responsibility for household chores and looking after her sisters. This pressure may have led her to keep her love life secret.
The Night Shilie Disappeared
On the night she vanished, Shilie wasn’t at a party as everyone thought. Her friend Andrea told police that Shilie planned to meet her boyfriend, Shaun Williams. Shilie got ready at home, agreed to let Andrea cover for her if her mother called, and borrowed Andrea’s father’s leather jacket to go with her purple tracksuit. Andrea walked her to the bus stop.
Shaun later told investigators that they spent a quiet evening at his home, listened to music, and then he accompanied Shilie back to the bus stop at 1:30 a.m. “That was the last time I saw her,” he said. Initially a suspect, Shaun was cleared after the bus driver confirmed Shilie boarded alone.
Discovery of the Body
A month passed with no answers. Then, a man walking his dog in Fairmount Park discovered a female body under a tarp. Shilie had been shot in the face, chest, and hand. Though the body had to be defrosted before identification, one detail made it clear: the purple tracksuit.
Vivian immediately suspected Shilie’s track coach, Tim Hickey. She told detectives she thought his attention toward Shilie was inappropriate. However, Tim had a solid alibi—he had attended a party that night, confirmed by multiple witnesses.
Suspicion Turns to Vivian
Shilie’s funeral raised suspicion for some. Journalist Yvonne Latty noticed Vivian seemed strangely calm, greeting people while her daughters cried. Later, Vivian appeared on a radio talk show and shockingly described Shilie’s appearance when she was shot—information only the killer could know. The host immediately alerted police.
Investigators also learned that Vivian and Shilie had a tense relationship. When asked to take a polygraph test, Vivian’s bizarre laughter alarmed detectives. She eventually failed the test and admitted, “You must think I’m a monster—only a monster could have done this.”
Vivian’s Confession
Vivian confessed to killing Shilie. She said she had been drinking while waiting for her daughter to come home. A physical fight broke out, and Vivian retrieved her gun. Claiming she would take Shilie to the police station, she instead drove her to Fairmount Park, continued the fight, hit Shilie on the head, and shot her.
Vivian’s crime shocked the community. Journalist Yvonne Latty later speculated that jealousy might have been a motive: Vivian had been a runner herself but never as successful as Shilie.
Trial and Conviction
During her trial in October 1993, Vivian claimed her confession was coerced. The jury found she was too intoxicated to understand her actions, convicted her of third-degree murder, and sentenced her to 10–20 years in prison.
